The 5th National Coffee Expo and Annual Project Assessment aimed to continuously enhance coffee farmers to become effective entrepreneurs and lead successful community-based coffee processing models (CBCPE) will formally open at the Days Hotel here on Wednesday.
The expo and assessment event to be spearheaded by Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Offices 3, 4-A, 6, 10, 11, 12, CAR and Caraga; selected government units and the Philippine Commission on Women, is also in support of women in micro-enterprises (WMEs) showcasing the successful adoption of the PHilMech-recommended post-harvest technologies and equipment — coffee pulpers, dryer, huller, moisture meter, sorting table, and grading system suited for Arabica and Robusta coffee.
The event is envisioned to provide a venue for knowledge sharing on the diverse experiences of some 200 expected participants composed of coffee farmers (from the 8 participating regions), stakeholders and partner agencies (DA-RFO, High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, local government units, and the private sector) in implementing targeted projected activities in their area.
Technical sessions and coffee product exposition featuring locally-produced Arabica and Robusta coffee are the highlights of the event.
The invited CBCPEs/WMEs are expected to learn the basics of running a coffee processing business/enterprise, emphasizing the adoption and/or maximum utilization of installed coffee processing facilities and hopefully attain profitable and sustainable operation.
The DA-Regional Field Office 4-A through the HVCDP, shall also leverage the event to lead the launching and brand strengthening of the famous Liberica coffee, also known as the “kapeng barako”, an additional event component for this year’s expo.
A learning session on coffee postharvest will be the highlight of its second day where a selected number of participants will go to the Casile-Guinting Upland Marketing Cooperative — an active cooperator of PHilMech LGU-Cabuyao, DTI, and other agencies — in Cabuyao, Laguna.
The event runs until November 29. (PNA)
